Word up. What is the one technique that you promised yourself you would improve on/need to work on most? For me, my roundhouse kicks (mawashi geri)have always needed improvement. I am too inconsistent. Some nights I can kick real high with not so much power, some nights with good power but not so high. I'm not as flexible as I'd like to be, but it also helps that I'm 6'2". I want to have a good knockout kick on my roundhouse, after I set up with some low kicks/knees. Any thoughts?? Peace.

Left jab. Can't seem to put power in it in practice the way I can with my right, the hip rotation is off. Shouldn't matter so much in a fight, since I tend to use my left hand to create openings, but I still want to have the option.

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And that's what I call REAL Ultimate Power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"The morning glory blooms for an hour. It differs not at heart from the giant pine, which lives for a thousand years."

Before I herniated two disks in my Lumbar, i used to beable to hook l=kick people in the face with takedown and knock out power. I loved doing it tombecause everyone says you can't do stuff like that, yet there I was, taking people down with it.

My lower back is just too dam tight to get my leg up that high anymore, let alone with anysort of respecable power. I kick Southern Long Fist style now, all low, solar plexius and down. My best stuf is real low, like using kicks to buckel knees and such now.

I think I just didn't have the reach to use knees well when I was younger so now I kind of doubt knee techniques .. actually it was one fight in particular that made me doubt them ..

*flash back sequence*

I was in the 9th grade walking to my seat in math class. I got pushed from behind so I turned around and pushed the guy closest to me - I still to this day don't know if he is the one that pushed me or not - anyway, he stepped up to me and put his hands on my shoulders.

I had just read a big article on kneeing techniques in some ninja magazine and I thought .. "Well, his hands are on my shoulders where are his legs" - so (like an idiot) I looked down .. falling for a classic trick.

I raised my knee (half to protect my lower body and half because I thought I would try that kneeing stuff on him) .. My knee didn't reach anywhere near him. When I looked down he hit me on the side of the head. A friend later told me that he hit me three times but I just remember falling into some chairs.

I got right back up and looked at him. He had this look like he just crapped his pants. Appearantly, whoever had taught him that classic trick forgot to tell him the fight wouldn't end there.

Then I looked over to my left and saw Mr. Russell standing in the door. Mr. Russell was cool. We both walked out and to the dean's office without further incident.

I learned to rely on front snap kicks and low kicks rather than the knee. I never use knees. If anyone out there is a big kneeing expert, how do you use them effectively? How would someone who is typically smaller than his attackers. Usually guys that start trouble are bigger than I me .. I don't start fights.

&amp;gt;&amp;gt; To be bound by traditional martial art style or styles is the way of the mindless, enslaved martial artist, but to be inspired by the traditional martial art and to achieve further heights is the way of genius. - Bruce Lee

Yea, I know knees are used in the clinch and at close quarters in Muay Thai - but there is no grappling allowed there. To me it seems like you are raising your stance too high and extending yourself on a knee - that makes you vulnerable for a takedown. Also, planting and pushing off of your base leg - you are grounded and you lack the mobility to escape if he shoots. You better get a solid hit on a good target with that knee or you are going to be on your back. I'd rather strike inside than knee.

If I was taller maybe I'd feel differently.

&amp;gt;&amp;gt; To be bound by traditional martial art style or styles is the way of the mindless, enslaved martial artist, but to be inspired by the traditional martial art and to achieve further heights is the way of genius. - Bruce Lee

9 Chambers- If you have a lot of flexibility, knees can be quite effective. If you are not in the clinch, the knee can be used well to the body if you are close and angle off to the outside. I rarely punch an opponent in the body because it leaves my head to open. With a knee, I can keep both hands up.

Another use of the knee outside the clinch is a Muay Thai straight knee. You do this by taking the knee and thrusting it straight out with you hips. Solid contact on an opponent, even if he's braced for it, will knock the dookey out of him. Use this on opponents who's body is open and miss a punch.

I don't do many generic body punches either. That is for wearing a guy out during boxing with gloves on, in my opinion. I know you can "seal the breath" by hitting the ribs where the lungs come through but that just seems like time I could have spent up top going for a KO.

Also, most guys know how to roll with a body shot and protect their ribs - and with clothes on its hard to get the right target half the time. The solar pleaxus is cool though. Anyway, I am a headhunter. :)

Sometimes though - I will hit the collarbone or shoulder to move a guy where I want him or stop his punch while its developing or open up his guard a little.

Like this ... inside two-handed catch-and-parry guard against his right lead punch, then your right hand shoots out and stops his left shoulder with a slap/strike/push (also halting the twist in his waist effecting the mobility of his right arm), you throw a straight left cross to his face, a right palm strike up to the left side of his neck/jaw and pushing it, an overhand cross to left side of his nose (step in with your right foot), then a right cross to his right shoulder stepping in with your left foot, step out the other way with your right foot as you throw a left overhand hook to the right side of his nose, step out across with your left foot again and throw a right hook to his temple, slap his throat upward with your left hand and push his face/head to his right as you step in with your right and step across with your left and launch a big right cross to his jaw or under his ear, then nail him with a left to the face to buy a second as you slip behind him and get him in a headlock (maybe twisting his neck unsing his jaw) and take him down to the ground for a choke or mount and pound, then stomp.. etc..

I'll hit the tricep if he extends his arm (like Joe Louis did to Max Schmelling to set that big hook up) or throw a hook to his elbow if he grabs up top and camps for a second (cover his hand with your other hand as you do it - or it may fly up at your head) then grab the arm or punch the inside of his forearm, pull his arm across and go to the head or neck or a choke.

Sometimes I'll hit the kidneys is I am behind him, the liver or abdoman if I'm too low .. for me most all body hits are to set up the head for an attack though. I do a lot of body climbing but no straight body blows to the ribs really.

Okay, back to knees .. I see why I don't get them right. I never use knees in sparring or bag work so I am not factoring impact into it. When I do them in the air it pulls me forward - I need to practice them on a solid target to account for impact. But what if I miss, will my leg be out in front of my body too far?

What do you mean by angle it off to the outside? What targets do you go for with the Muay Thai straight knee?

&amp;gt;&amp;gt; To be bound by traditional martial art style or styles is the way of the mindless, enslaved martial artist, but to be inspired by the traditional martial art and to achieve further heights is the way of genius. - Bruce Lee

I take Jiu-Jitsu and I like to use knees in jointlock situations, such as knife defense's. But I'm also 6'4. Many times a knee to the midsection/legs is much easier then a front kick simply because I'm in too close and I feel awkward with my long legs. My favorite place to knee is the outside of the leg above the knee, like a Mauy Thai kick. IMHO, this works best when your off to the side of the person following a wristlock. It only takes 2-3 good shots to the leg and the person wont be able to stand for a few minutes.